Comments on: Let’s Encourage all Kids to Learn Another Language

By: Erik Huey

Erik Huey — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:27:28 +0000

Hi Ana. I’ve done just about everything imaginable. RS included, with minimal success. Tell me more about you & your husband, and specifically how he handles the isolation factor at the table. What steps or methods does he use or try to get involved with the conversation?

By: Ana

Ana — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:00:23 +0000

Erik, have you looked into Rosetta Stone. It is supposed to be a great tool to acquire conversational skills in a short period of time.
I can relate to your wife not using Spanish with you. When my husband and I tried to do a Spanish only day we both got frustrated 45 minutes into it because it was taking way to long to have a conversation so we switched to English and never tried again. We took Spanish in high school but his vocabulary is very limited even today after 12 years of marriage. He knows enough to get around a Spanish speaking country and to have a simple conversation with my parents but no more. But he feels the same way as you (isolated) when we forget he can’t follow our conversations. Maybe you can use each day at the dinner table as a learning tool. Ask your wife and in-laws to talk (slowly and clearly) about the food you are eating, name ingredients, colors and flavors. It would be a great way to increase your vocabulary.
We are raising our kids to be bilingual and I did commit myself to speak to them in Spanish only. Time will tell if we succeed.

By: Paloma Cruz (@palomacruz)

Paloma Cruz (@palomacruz) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 19:35:49 +0000

What a great way to grow up. I am blessed that my parents made sure that I grew up bilingual. Unfortunately, my sisters have not made the same decision for my nieces and nephews.

I have one nephew in a dual-language English/Mandarin Chinese school. His Honduran dad and Mexican mom have made the decision that we can teach him Spanish, but the opportunity to learn Chinese was one that couldn’t be missed.

I have a niece and nephew, teenagers, whose Mexican parents say that it isn’t important for them to know another language. And, especially, it isn’t important for them to know Spanish. Both of them speak a little Spanish, and understand a little, but they aren’t bilingual.

In an age where the world is shrinking, and the US is rapidly losing its place as the leader of the world, knowing other languages has become even more vital.

By: Sunocean18

Sunocean18 — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 05:27:37 +0000

Thanks for another great article. We obviously value bilingualism and I think it’s sad that the United States is such a mono-linguistic country. What bothers me is how some people view Spanish as a less desired foreign language, as say French or Italian. It feels as though our country views Spanish as the immigrant/working class language and therefore is less valued, which is a shame because such a value system shouldn’t be placed on language. When my husband and I get asked about our son’s only speaking Spanish, I often wonder if we’d get so many questions and concerns if the language was something other than Spanish. It really bothers me how people don’t value it and question our parenting of limiting English to them. It’s as though people really think my children will never speak English or that by them learning Spanish will hinder their ability to be something special in this world.

By: Erik Huey

Erik Huey — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 05:19:25 +0000

I’ve been trying to get my wife to speak to me more in the language, you’d think that it would be easy and natural…its not. She says that she forgets or she doesn’t think about it. She also says that she doesn’t know how to help me. When I asked a Spanish professor friend of mine, she said that unless she’s a teacher, which she is not, native speakers really won’t be able to help with grammar. She also said that because we met in English and mostly communicate in English, it would be hard to change. So I don’t know…sometimes, I feel on my own a lot. All that to say that I wish for the same thing. To be able to communicate more in the language would boost my confidence. Let’s keep in touch on-line and we’ll try to help each other: huey.erik@hotmail.com or http://www.Facebook.com/erik.huey

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 01:56:35 +0000

Erik, I have never stopped to add it up, but I’m thinking I have spent at least the same. In fact, I just spent several hundred on the highest 2 levels of the Pimsluer CD’s. It’s helping that my daughters schoolwork is 100% in Spanish too. I wish I had some friends who would speak only Spanish to me so I could get more useful practice..

I’ve not given up yet!!!

By: Erik Huey

Erik Huey — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 18:46:06 +0000

Kathleen, in the 2 1/2 years that I’ve been trying to learn, I think I’ve spent about $1,000, inclusive of grammar books, Rosetta Stone, flashcards, other materials, tutors, various downloads, and other things. And like you, I’m just intermediate. My learning, in fact, has all but stopped.

By: Erik Huey

Erik Huey — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 21:03:12 +0000

Thanks for the reply, Roxana. I’ve been trying to immerse as much as possible, but it’s been impossible. Spending time is abroad is impractical for me right now, however my spanish-speaking in-laws live with us. While that helps a little, it’s only been partial immersion for me as my wife and i communicate in english about 90% of the time. She says she forgets or its hard for her to remember to try to converse with me in spanish around the clock. So yes, music, TV, radio, reading, you name it/I’ve tried it or I’ve done it. Listening comprehension is my poorest trait right now. I’m extremely isolated at the dinner table constantly and it does get frustrating and discouraging.

By: Roxana A. Soto

Roxana A. Soto — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:10:02 +0000

Glad you found it useful, Kathleen, and thanks for sharing your story with us! I’m always inspired by people like you who grow up monolingual, but eventually figure out the benefits of bilingualism.

Lucky you that you have the option to send your daughter to a dual language immersion school! And you’re totally right when you say that every parent should have the same option! I feel you 100% because I’m one of those parents who doesn’t have that option

The idea here is that we continue to raise our voices, so that those in charge realize that we won’t back down until bilingualism is given the place it deserves in our children’s education.

By: Roxana A. Soto

Roxana A. Soto — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:07:01 +0000

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your comment here too, Erik! I hear you loud and clear and you’re the perfect example why children need to be given the opportunity to learn another language much earlier than by the time they reach high school. While learning a new language as an adult is not impossible, it can be extremely difficult, as you’ve detailed in your comment.

I’m very happy to hear you’d like to raise your future children bilingual because many others would’ve been too discouraged by now. I applaud you and I want to tell you that you’ll probably learn a lot more right alongside them. In the meantime, my best suggestion is that you try to immerse yourself in the language as much as possible. Do you listen to music in Spanish? What about movies? Is there any way for you at all to spend some time in a Spanish speaking country where you have no choice but to speak the language?